Dissertation-guidelines-16-6-2016_FINAL

GUIDELINES ON THE PRESENTATION AND
SUBMISSION OF The LLB(Hons) DISSERTATION
This document is a general guide to the presentation and submission of the LLB(Hons)
dissertation. It contains information about related policies and procedures, and should be
read alongside the relevant regulations the dissertation candidate is registered under and
The University of Auckland Calendar. It is derived from the School of Graduate Studies
“Guide to Dissertations and Theses” that can be found at
www.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/cs-pg-doc-theses-dissertations

1


Table of Contents
1

Introduction

3
3.1
3.2
3.3

Available help
Libraries
Learning Services
Computing Services

2
2.1
2.2
2.3

2.4
2.5

4
4.1
4.2
4.3
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
6
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
7
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
8
9

10

The Dissertation
Formalities
Selecting a topic
Approaching a supervisor
Registering a topic
Enrolment

Responsibilities of the students and supervisors
Supervisory meetings
Responsibilities of students
Responsibilities of supervisors
Integrity in Research
Applying for Ethics Approval
Avoiding Plagiarism
Academic Integrity course

Writing the dissertation
Getting started
Research – analysing the literature
Clarity of writing
Getting feedback from your supervisor
Extensions of time
Backing up your work
Proofreading

Format and style requirements for presentation
Word length
Footnotes and referencing
Format
Title page

Binding
Dissertation Submission dates
Dissertation Checklist
Grading Schedule

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1

1.1

INTRODUCTION
“A dissertation is an extended piece of writing divided into chapters, in which an
overall argument is developed in response to a research question.”1
The Honours dissertation (LAWHONS 789) is worth 40 points and should be

15,000 words in length, including footnotes. There is a 5 per cent leeway for

Honours dissertations (i.e. limit of 15,750 words). Excluded in the limit are: Title
page, Table of Contents, Abstract, Acknowledgement, Bibliography and any tables.

The abstract has a separate limit of 250 – 350 words.
1.2

In creating a dissertation, a student has two tasks:

1. To undertake a project to find the answer to a research question.

2. To write up the project in the form of a dissertation, in which the findings are

presented, their significance discussed and a conclusion is reached.2

This guide discusses both of these – the research and the writing. Both are equally
important and present different challenges.
2

THE DISSERTATION

2.1

Formalities: There are two formal aspects to enrolling in the dissertation:

(i) registration of topic in the Law Faculty and (ii) formal enrolment in the

dissertation through SSO. Before registration can occur students need to select

2.2

their topic.

Selecting a topic: Students should aim to select and register their dissertation
topic as far ahead as possible. Students in their Part IV year who intend to submit

in summer school should have selected their topic, and approached a supervisor
by the end of the second week of the second semester, and should be working on
their dissertation during the second semester, so that it is ready for submission

by the end of January. Students who decide to leave their dissertation to the first

semester of the following year should not underestimate the difficulty of

completing their dissertation once they are in full-time employment.
1
2

Quoted at />P Levin Excellent Dissertations (Oxford University Press, England, 2005).

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2.2.1 It is essential that students choose a topic that really interests them. If they do

not, this will make the task of writing a comprehensive and well- argued
dissertation that much harder. Consider these aspects of the topic:

•
•

Is there a good research question arising from it?

Can you engage with the literature, so that it informs your analysis?

2.2.2 A student’s preliminary research should be designed to ascertain that there is

sufficient academic material relating to the topic they have chosen to allow them
to formulate a specific question that can be explored in depth. This may involve

consulting an existing literature review, or carrying out their own review of
literature on the topic.

2.2.3 The most common mistake that students make is to formulate a question that is

too broad. The research question should raise some significant issues and
should require more than a descriptive answer. A dissertation is not a work that

gathers together everything that a student knows about a particular topic. It is a

2.3

work that poses a specific question and uses material to answer that question.

Approaching a supervisor: Once a student has decided on a research area, they

should discuss this with a member of staff teaching or working in that field. Your
chosen supervisor will advise whether the area of study, or the specific question
you have chosen, seems unsuitable.

There is a List of Dissertation Supervisors and Supervision Areas available on the

Law Faculty website. These provide information about the semesters during
which, and the subject-areas in which, supervisors are available to supervise
topics for Honours dissertations. See:

/>
undergraduate-students/cs-course-planning/cs-regulations-policiesguidelines.html
2.4

When there is no lecturer available on the academic staff of the Faculty to
supervise a topic a student wishes to pursue, the student should consult the

Assistant Dean (Academic). Students should note that as lecturers cannot

supervise unlimited numbers of dissertations, EARLY contact and registration
is recommended.

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2.5

Registration of topic: Once a topic is chosen and is approved by the staff

member concerned, a dissertation Topic Approval Form should be
completed, signed by the supervisor, and returned to the Student Centre for
approval by the Assistant Dean (Academic). The form is available from the

Law School Student Centre, or on the Faculty of Law website. An email will
be sent from the Faculty Office confirming the name of your supervisor and the
topic.

Enrolment: After the Topic Approval Form is submitted, the student should
formally enrol on SSO. The LLB(Hons) regulations require that formal

enrolment for the dissertation must take place in the 9th semester of the

LLB(Hons) i.e., the semester following the completion of Part IV, unless the

student chooses to skip enrolment in the summer semester following completion

of the Part IV year and to enrol in semester 1 of the following year instead.

If you intend to enrol in the summer semester, you will need to complete a
Manual Enrolment Form (also available at the Law School Student Centre or on
the Faculty of Law website) and submit this with your Topic Approval Form. The

Hons Dissertation co-ordinator will enroll you on your behalf (as the 40 points
for the dissertation exceed the usual summer school limit of 30 points – a

concession will be needed). An email will be sent confirming enrolment in
3
3.1

LAWHONS 789.

AVAILABLE HELP
Libraries: Staff in the Davis Law Library can assist with literature searching,
and

dissertations.

Contact

a

The

Theses

Dissertations

Subject

Librarian

or

visit

www.library.auckland.ac.nz to get help with literature searching.

3.2

and

page,

the

website

www.library.auckland.ac.nz/thesis/

provides advice on how to search for local and international theses.

The Student Learning Services team provides workshops, online resources and
advice on most aspects of the thesis and dissertation writing process, including
research and data analysis, critical analysis in the literature review, self5


management, computing and presenting at conferences. Details of the
postgraduate courses and resources provided by Student Learning Services can

be found at www.library.auckland.ac.nz/student-learning/.

3.2.1 Within Student Learning Services, the English Language Enrichment (ELE) team
can provide online and face-to-face advice for students who want assistance with

academic English. Visit www.library.auckland.ac.nz/ele/
3.3

for more information.

Computing Services: IT literacy is an essential aspect of writing a thesis. The

University of Auckland provides a range of IT services to assist you with your

course of study. Consult Student IT Essentials on the University website for
further information:

www.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/for/current-students/cs-student-it-essentials

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4

RESPONSIBILITIES OF STUDENTS AND SUPERVISORS

4.1

Once the topic is chosen, students and supervisors should meet to discuss and

agree on clear goals and the frequency of supervisory meetings. Students are

reminded that compliance with the degree regulations and the quality of their

work is ultimately their responsibility. The role of the supervisor is to assist
them to achieve the best research results of which they are capable.
/>4.2

The responsibilities of the student include:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

taking the initiative in raising problems or difficulties, including

difficulties with accessing sources or resources;

discussing with the supervisor the type of guidance and comment he or

she finds most helpful, and agreeing on a schedule of meetings;

responding to the arrangements proposed and the advice and instruction

given by the supervisor;

maintaining the progress of the work in accordance with the stages

agreed with the supervisor, including, in particular, the presentation of
written material as required in sufficient time to allow for comments and

discussion before proceeding to the next stage. For example, you cannot
expect your supervisor to respond overnight to a 10,000-word draft
4.3

document.

The responsibilities of the supervisor
As part of the general supervision of a student’s dissertation research,
a supervisor should:
(a)

(b)
(c)
(d)

give guidance about the nature of research and the standard expected,

about the planning of the research programme, about literature and
sources, resources and their availability;

discuss with the student the level of contact needed, for example through

meetings and/or email, and ensure as far as possible that this contact is

maintained;

be accessible to the student at other appropriate times when he or she
may need advice;

give advice on the necessary completion dates of successive stages of the
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(e)
(f)

work so that the whole may be submitted within the scheduled time;

receive written work as appropriate, and provide prompt and appropriate
written comment

organise for an assessor to assess the dissertation as part of the
examination process.

5

INTEGRITY IN RESEARCH

5.1

Applying for Ethics Approval: Research projects which involve human subjects

(including those participating in surveys) require the prior approval of the

University’s Human Subjects Ethics Committee. Information can be found on the
website />
5.1.1 If the research being undertaken requires ethics approval before the research
can be initiated, your supervisor will discuss the ethical issues and give guidance
on the ethics approval process. It is the student and supervisor’s joint

responsibility to ensure that formal ethics approval is obtained. It is important

to note that if you do need to submit an ethics application, this must be done by

your supervisor on your behalf. The process is rigorous and will need careful
planning.
5.2

Avoiding

plagiarism:

In

any thesis,

dissertation,

report

or project,

unacknowledged copying or plagiarism is not acceptable. Plagiarism is defined as

follows:

Plagiarism means using the work of others in preparing an assignment and
presenting it as your own without explicitly acknowledging — or referencing
— where it came from. Plagiarism can also mean not acknowledging the full
extent of indebtedness to a source. Work can be plagiarised from many

sources including books, articles, the internet, and other students’
assignments. Plagiarism can also occur unconsciously or inadvertently.
Direct copying is definitely plagiarism. Paraphrasing of another work
without attribution is also plagiarism. Submitting someone else’s work or
ideas without acknowledgement or attribution is not evidence of your own
grasp of the material and cannot earn you marks.

5.2.1 Thesis and dissertation candidates are governed by the University’s Student
Academic Conduct Statute, which defines ‘academic misconduct’, explains the
procedures for investigating claims of academic misconduct, and outlines the

penalties for students found guilty of academic misconduct. All dissertations will
be processed through Turnitin on final submission before being graded.

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5.3

The Academic Integrity Course provides information about academic integrity

at university, avoiding academic dishonesty, acknowledging the work of others,

using copyrighted material correctly and the consequences of academic
dishonesty at the University of Auckland. Further information can be found at
www.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/about/teaching-learning/academic-integrity
6
6.1

including a link to the University of Auckland Academic Integrity Course.

WRITING THE DISSERTATION

Getting started: Students often have difficulty structuring their dissertations.

They ask questions such as “Should I devote the first section to a literature

review?” “Should I include a section on the history of my topic?” “Should I

compare the law of New Zealand with the law of some other jurisdiction or
jurisdictions?” The answer to all such questions is surprisingly simple. The point

of the dissertation is to demonstrate the significance and validity of the
conclusion. Every word of the dissertation should be carefully chosen to achieve

that end. For example, if you can think of no better way of demonstrating the
significance and validity of your conclusion than by referring to the law of New

Zealand, then do so. Otherwise, don’t.

6.1.1 If you are unsure of how to begin, try this: “The aim of this dissertation is….”
Complete the sentence, formulating the aim of your dissertation as precisely as

you can. Typically this will entail explaining what your conclusion is and why it

matters. Then proceed to justify your conclusion.

6.1.2 Your dissertation should not consist of a mere record of your research. Rather, it

should seek to persuade the reader of the significance and validity of your
conclusion. Its structure should therefore be designed with the reader in mind.

6.1.3 Think of the dissertation as the tip of an iceberg – you can see only ten percent of

an iceberg because the rest of it is under water. Similarly, your dissertation
should set out only a small part of your research – the part that relates directly to

demonstrating the significance and validity of your conclusion.

WARNING: In the course of your research you will discover many interesting things.

You will want to include many of these in your dissertation, both because they are

interesting and because they show how much research you have done. Doing this is,

however, a weakness. So be ruthless; if it is not needed to demonstrate the
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significance and validity of your conclusion, cut it out.

6.2

Research – analysing the literature: Students often think that they should do
all the research first and then, when they’ve finished the research, write it up.

This m a y b e a mistake. You can easily spend three months or more

reading around a topic without focusing your thinking and analysing the key
issues.

6.2.1 A good approach would be to do just enough research to formulate a tentative

conclusion in relation to your research question – and then to start writing. As
soon as you have formulated a tentative conclusion, write it down. Then, having
written it down, you should proceed to justify it – in writing. At least in theory,

you will then continue writing until you have fully justified your conclusion. At
that point, your dissertation will be complete.

6.2.2 It will be clear from the advice in this section so far, that we are recommending
that students always research to a purpose – that purpose being to justify the
dissertation’s conclusion. This means that you should be analysing all the
material that you are reading, asking yourself some of the following questions:
•
•

What does this have to say about my research question?
Does it raise counter arguments that I should address?

•

Does it support my tentative conclusion and if so, how?

•

material?

•

Do I need to find additional support for, or alternative perspectives from, this

What are the strengths/weaknesses of the arguments in this material?

6.2.3 It is never enough, when writing a dissertation, simply to provide descriptive
material. If you just set out information about the law and other material,

without analysing it, your work will attract a low mark. If you are discussing

cases, it is not enough to say what the outcomes were. You need to consider
principles, policies and legal developments that may arise from the judgments.

6.3

Clarity of writing: Most students think that the larger part of the job is the
research (say 80 percent), and the smaller part is the writing (say 20 percent).

Consequently they think that when they have completed a first draft of their
dissertation, they have almost finished. Depending on how well-developed the

draft is, this may be a mistake. If you leave only a couple of weeks for rewriting
after you have completed that first draft, it may be that your supervisor considers
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that significant additional work is required before submission work and you will
have placed yourself in a very stressful situation.

6.3.1 The reason for this is that it takes time to ensure that the language you are using
in your dissertation is precise and expresses your arguments clearly and

persuasively. Read over what you have written. Is it absolutely clear to the

reader what you mean? Almost all student writing benefits from rewriting. Often,

imprecise writing obscures weak analysis. The more clearly you understand the
issues and the points that you wish to make, the more clearly you will express
6.4

yourself.

Getting feedback from your supervisor: The purpose of reviewing and giving
feedback on a draft is to help you to improve your arguments and your writing.

You are entitled to reach conclusions that your supervisor does not agree with. It
is the quality of your reasoning that is key. If your supervisor does not agree

with or is unconvinced by your arguments, it is in order to make your

arguments more robust. Your supervisor will be looking for how well you

present your arguments, how deep your analysis is, and how clearly and
logically you present your work to your reader.

6.4.1 The most important thing to remember about preparing a draft for review
and feedback is to do this as early as you can. Do not leave it until the last
minute. Your supervisor cannot be expected to read work overnight. Almost any

written work will be substantially improved through re-writing and this takes
time.

6.4.2 Your supervisor cannot provide you with an estimated grade. The assessment

6.5

process is rigorous and requires a third-party assessor.

Extension of time: Students often underestimate the length of time taken to

complete the dissertation. While the due date of the dissertation in the first and

second semesters is the last day of lectures, a short extension of time may be

granted where your supervisor supports it. Your dissertation supervisor cannot

grant extensions, though you should advise him or her of your intention to apply
for an extension. His or her support will assist. A request for an extension must

be made in writing to the Assistant Dean (Academic) through consultation with a
Student Adviser.

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6.5.1 If a longer extension of time is needed, you need to make a formal request for an

extension. This will be granted only in exceptional circumstances. If your
application extends into the next semester and is granted, you will be required to
re-enrol and to pay fees again in

the next semester. The formal extension is for two months. At the end of this

time the dissertation must be submitted to the Law School Student Centre.

6.6

Backing up your work. The importance of backing up your work cannot be overemphasised. Back up your computer files regularly, name the different versions

of your documents appropriately, and keep these copies in a separate safe
location. It is also a good idea to retain copies of collected data, notes, drafts and

any other material that might be necessary to reconstruct your thesis in the

6.7

event that something goes wrong.

Careful proofreading for grammar, punctuation, spelling and general consistency
is essential. Do not rely on the spellchecker in your programme to pick up errors.

It is also a good idea to have someone else read through your work to pick up

any mistakes that you may have overlooked. A high standard of presentation is

very important, so allow plenty of time for this before you submit your
dissertation.

A practical guide to punctuation is J Buxton, S Carter and S Sturm Punc Rocks:

Foundation Stones for Precise Punctuation (2nd ed, Auckland, Pearson New

7
7.1

Zealand, 2012).

FORMAT AND STYLE REQUIREMENTS FOR PRESENTATION
Word length: Dissertations should be 15,000 words in length, including
footnotes. There is a 5 per cent leeway for Honours dissertations (i.e. limit of
15,750 words). Excluded in the limit are: Title page, Table of Contents, Abstract,

Acknowledgement, Bibliography and any tables. The abstract has a separate limit
7.2

of 250 – 350 words.

Footnotes and referencing: Students must comply with the requirements of
the New Zealand Law Style Guide, (2nd edition, The New Zealand Law Foundation,

2011). The Style Guide is available at:

16


/>
The Style Guide can be purchased from the University Book Shop.

7.2.1 Inadequate footnoting and referencing, either in terms of supporting
propositions with authority or failure to comply with the Style Guide, is likely to

result in lower grades/marks.

17

7.3

Format
•

Your dissertation should be printed/typed on A4 paper

•

Pages must be numbered

•

be 1 1/2 line space or double in the text

•

•

Text should be clear and legible. Text should be in 12-point script. Lines can
Footnotes may be set in an appropriately compact style, in terms of size of
script and line spacing

A Table of Contents should indicate the divisions of the work

•

A Table of Cases and a Table of Statutes may be included

•

you have received

•

•
•

An acknowledgement page should be included that recognises any assistance
An abstract of between 250 - 350 words must be included

A full bibliography should be included at the end of the work

Recommended order of material — title page, abstract, acknowledgments,
table of contents, text, appendices, bibliography.

7.4

Title page: Your dissertation title should be centred in the top third of the title

page, and should describe the content of your dissertation accurately and
precisely. The word length must be honestly and accurately stated. Your full name

should be centred in the middle of the title page. Information regarding the
degree, subject, university, and date is centred in the lower third of the page.

The preferred form of wording is “A dissertation submitted in [partial] fulfilment

of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Laws (Honours), the University

7.5

of Auckland”, and the date.

Submission and Binding: The dissertation must be submitted electronically by

the due date, so that the word limit can be checked and it can be processed

through Turnitin. Instructions on how to submit electronically will be posted on

Canvas at the relevant time (towards the end of each semester, shortly before

submission dates). ALSO: at the same as you submit the electronic version, i.e. by
the due date, two limp-bound copies (black spine and clear plastic front &

back covers; not spiral bound) must be submitted to the Law School Student
Centre. The Law School Student Centre can arrange for dissertations to be Limp

Bound at $5.00/copy. You do not need to submit earlyier than the due date to
18


allow for binding.

Copies of dissertations that have been awarded an A grade in previous years are
available at the Davis Law Library for viewing.

19

8.

SUBMISSION DATES
Exact submission dates for the draft and the final dissertation for the relevant year
are available from the Law School Student Centre and are posted on the Faculty of

Law’s web site. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain these dates and work

within them, unless the supervisor has agreed with the student to a variation of

these dates.

Approximate timeframes are:
Summer Semester
September:
November:

Selection of supervisor and approval of topic
Submission of completed draft to supervisor

Jan (end)/ early February: Final Submission
Semester 1

March:

Selection of supervisor and approval of topic

June (last day of lectures):
Semester 2

Final Submission

July:

Selection of supervisor and approval of topic

April:

Sept:
9.

Submission of completed draft to supervisor

Submission of completed draft

October (last day of lectures): Final Submission
DISSERTATION SUBMISSION CHECKLIST
•
•
•

Have you provided a final draft for your supervisor’s feedback?
Have you received your supervisor’s feedback?

Have you included an abstract of not more than 350 words?

•

Is the word length of your dissertation within the allowable limit?

•

errors (and ideally had someone else proofread it for you)?

•

•
•
•
•

Have you proofread your dissertation carefully for spelling and typographical
Have you checked that the presentation of your dissertation meets
departmental or University style and format guidelines?
Have you complied with the Law Style Guide?
Are the page numbers in sequence?

Have you backed up the final version of your dissertation?
Is your title page set out correctly?

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10.

GRADING SCHEDULE

The following two tables show the relationship of marks to grades on the nine-point scale
used by the Faculty of Law for assessed work as well as descriptors appropriate to the

requirements of the course, corresponding to the level of attainment within each of the
letter grades on the scale. For a comprehensive explanation of the descriptors please
visit www.law.auckland.ac.nz/grading
Students will note that the descriptors are broadly banded in the grades of A, B, C, and
D, with the finer gradings reflecting “shades” or “levels” of achievement within the
broad bands.
Research – based work

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